What return reasons say about fit

Short answer: When many customers return the same model because it is too small or too large, the customers are not wrong. Then the fault sits in the size chart or in the pattern.

Many returns of the same model

When many customers send the same model back, it is a signal to take seriously. It is rarely the customers who ordered wrongly. More often something in the description, the size chart or the garment itself does not match. So return reasons are read as fit information, not just as a sum of lost sales.

The direction in the numbers

If many write that the item is too small, the model must either be adjusted or described more clearly on the page. If most write that it is too large, the same applies the other way. The direction matters, because it shows which end of the scale holds the fault and how much needs adjusting.

A clear description helps

A good description on the product page can help a great deal while any change to the model itself is still in the future. Say whether the model fits snug, regular or loose, and where it sits tight. With that, customers choose correctly the first time, and returns often fall without the garment changing.

Size by size

Sometimes only one size is off. That points to the grading, meaning how the pattern is scaled up and down, and not to the whole model. If you see many returns in size L but few in M and XL, look at that size first. See also the Decoy collection.

The size chart can be too optimistic

A size chart can be slightly too optimistic without anyone meaning to mislead. Measure a garment lying flat and you get a different number than on a body in motion. So always compare the measured numbers with what customers write, and correct the chart if the two do not agree.

Exchanges are data too

Customers who swap from M to L in the same model are saying the same as a return with a reason. The exchange is just harder to notice, because it does not end as a lost order. So add exchanges and returns together when you judge the fit. See also Zent and CCDK.

The reason has to be included

A return without a reason is only half as useful. Make sure customers can choose a reason such as too small, too large, wrong style or changed mind, and leave a field for their own words. Then the information becomes usable and you avoid guessing why something came back.

Changes arrive with the next production

Even when the cause is clear, the change only arrives with the next production run, because the existing stock is already sewn. That makes the description on the page the fastest tool. Pattern and size chart are corrected at the same time, so the next batch fits as customers expect.

What you can do before ordering

As a customer, you can lower the risk of a return yourself. Measure a garment that fits you well and compare it with the size chart instead of only going by the letter. Read what other customers write about fit, and go one size up if you are unsure and want a loose fit.

Frequently asked questions

How many returns does it take

Enough that it is not chance. A pattern over several weeks is clearer than a single week, and it should be set against how many pieces of the model were sold.

Is the model fixed straight away

Rarely. The change comes with the next production run, because the stock is already sewn. Until then, a clear note on the page is the best thing to do for customers.